Method and apparatus for providing extension management in voice over internet protocol customer premises

Abstract

A method and apparatus for allowing all the extensions connected to an enhanced Terminal Adaptor (TA) associated with a single phone number to place and receive phone calls independently are disclosed. For example, in the case of a call waiting scenario, if an extension is already engaged in an ongoing phone call, then the enhanced TA provides call waiting handling to the engaged extension similar to traditional call waiting when a subsequent incoming call is received. However, the enhanced TA also rings the remaining extensions that are not currently engaged in phone calls when the subsequent incoming call is received.

Description

[0001]This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 314,285, filed Dec. 21, 2005, currently allowed, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.[0002]The present invention relates generally to communication networks and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for providing extension management in Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) customer premises in communication networks, e.g., packet networks such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) networks.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]In a VoIP customer premise, present implementations of VoIP services use a telephone port in a Terminal Adaptor (TA) associated with a single phone number as the interface to a VoIP enabled customer premise. Extensions that are associated with the particular telephone port and its associated phone number are typically considered in the same vein as Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) extensions. For instance, when a phone call destined to the telephone port ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The present invention allows multiple extensions connected to a single phone number to make and receive phone calls independently. This includes call waiting handling, where if one extension is already engaged in a phone call, the enhanced TA can handle the call waiting for a subsequent incoming call. Additionally, if the subsequent incoming call is answered by the engaged extension, the previous phone call will be placed on hold. If the subsequent incoming call is answered by another extension, the connection is made without affecting the ongoing phone call. Furthermore, extensions that are not currently engaged in phone calls can also make outgoing calls without affecting the ongoing phone calls."

Problems solved by technology

Once a particular extension connected to the TA is engaged in a phone call, the remaining extensions in the customer premise connected to the TA will not be able to make and receive calls.

Images